Bella's New Moon
by Castgirl
Summary: In my new version of New Moon we pick up mid-story in her darkest hour. She will rise higher than ever before and fall so much farther. Her actions, her adventures will be her own to experience. Bella is given power but how will she use it. And what will she do when released upon the world by herself without a Cullen to guide her?
1. Chapter 1: Lost

I worried I had chosen the wrong path. My klutzy brain was even more scattered than usual, not to mention the fact I'd been going about a million miles per hour last time I was her… - NO! I couldn't think about that, not now, I was in bad enough shape as it was, the gap in my chest bursting at the seams I tried so hard to stitch together, like a wound that just wouldn't heal. I laughed for a moment in my head; Carlisle had been a doctor, and a great one at that. Typical, my dumb brain just couldn't stay away from him, dancing on the edges of insanity. Of course if I had wanted to not think about… him, I wouldn't be stumbling around in the middle of the freaking forest. Why had I thought this was going to be a good idea, to go visit the place he'd taken me, our place. Why had I thought this wouldn't bring up so many heartbreaking memories that I just wanted to lay down and die, to throw the towel in and call it good, because let's face it it's not like my life's really going anywhere. With my luck I'll be patient zero in the zombie apocalypse or the person who accidentally gets crushed under the opening hatch of an invading alien army.

"Ouch!" I instinctively yelped as I poked my finger on some spiky bush branches while gripping them mid-trip. Little drops of warm red blood oozed out of my finger and as I sucked on what was sure to yet another scar I thought wasn't that just typical and didn't it all seem to come back to my stupid delicious smelling blood. I mean I didn't think it smelled that great. Sure I try and stay healthy as can be, if that has anything to do with the taste of blood, but volume wise I'd be a pretty tiny snack for a hungry predator. Now which way was I supposed to go now? At that point I didn't even know which way I'd come from given the numerous falls and stumbles and turn-arounds. It was getting late and Charlie would be worried if I came home very late, of course he did have "hunting" duty that night which gave me some time. Time was it that a wildcat or bear on the loose meant a rogue vampire on the loose but nowadays it was probably just a wildcat or bear on the loose. The exciting days of people getting ripped open by bloodthirsty vamps were over. Not that I'm complaining, because I was usually the first on the menu for those bloodthirsty vamps, but there were other perks back in those days.

I felt a sharp jolt pierce my abdomen. I'd though too hard on the subject, indulged in my memories too much and now I was going to pay the price in pain and sorrow and tears. But first I really needed to find my way out of the forest. As much as seeing it would probably hurt me I really needed that beautiful meadow right about then. There was a gap in the trees just up ahead and I tried to remember what the entrance to the meadow had looked like, but it was in vain. I'd just have to wander in that direction and hope to high heavens that I was going in the right direction. There were always stories of lost hikers in Forks, but they were usually out of towners, city people who didn't know which way was up when it came to nature. You would have thought that by then I would have learned not to go wandering off like that, but there's me getting myself into who knows how much kind of trouble.

A rogue tree branch smacked me in the face and as I pushed it aside I sighed in relief blinking in the sun of the meadow. Then I gasped as my eyes adjusted to the brightness.


	2. Chapter 2: Meadow

The first time I had laid eyes on the meadow it was a world of its own, bright and vibrant. Every kind of flower imaginable bloomed and breathed and flourished, granted I had a lousy imagination. The bees buzzed; the butterflies fluttered; the birds chirps. It was the very picture of paradise. But now, now as though it were a mirror of my own soul, the once beautiful Eden and crumbled, died, rotted away. There were no flowers, only brown dying grass, matted and crunchy. As if to mock me one lone songbird cried out a mournful song from the tree line. This had been the place where dreams came to reality, where even the darkest of thoughts could be forgotten, if only for a little while, and one could fade away into eternal bliss. It was my Garden of Eden, my fountain of youth. It was meant to mend the wounds and heal the scars, but this barren, desolate wasteland did nothing to help my desperate heart. It too had died without him.

I slowly meandered out towards the center looking from sky to earth and back again, as if searching for some sign of life, of hope. Surely there was something here, something left. He had taken every bit of himself with him, everything that might offer some memory, as though removing the pictures and gifts could ever make me think less of him. I stopped there in the middle of it all and closed my eyes to just take in the misery, typical. Story of my life. Just when I need something most it up and disappears. Up and leaves. Up and says, "Hey I don't love you anymore, bye!"

"Oh God." I quietly stammered out, "What is wrong with me."

Suddenly my right leg gave way under me and I collapsed to the ground it a disgruntled heap. Oh great, I'd just tripped on absolutely nothing whilst standing absolutely still, just perfect. I guess I need to rest for a minute anyway, seeing how I was in no shape to make the long trek back to my truck just yet. Closing my eyes I lay back on the dead twigs, bracken, and dirt, remembering longingly of the soft clover and grasses which had padded my back the last time I laid there. Closing my eyes once more I couldn't help but see their faces like I always did. Alice smiled down at me, but then frowned slightly at my jeans, oversized coat, and tangled windblown hair, while she looked perfect as always in one of a kind designer clothes which she made look as comfortable as pjs but would be tight and pinching on anyone else in the world. Well, except maybe Rosalie, looking down at me with contempt as per usual, her gorgeous blond hair perfectly arranged atop a devilishly angelic face. Emmett grinned beside her, probably ready to play ball or start a fight, whichever he could get someone to do with him. Jasper was quiet and calculating as always. He'd not always been comfortable around me given by warm human blood, but I certainly didn't blame him for what had happened, since it was really just stupid old clumsy me grabbing the business end of a knife. Carlisle and Esme were always next to each other, looking down at me and all their family, always the perfect couple and parents. I stopped myself there. I couldn't allow myself to go any farther.

Something was wrong. It was silent. The bird had stopped its eerie song. The meadow was now completely still.

"Hello there my dear Bella"


	3. Chapter 3: Inevitable

(Author's note: Thanks for all the great responses, I'll try to keep 'em coming pretty steadily for the forseeable future. I'll probably release chapters about one a day. :) )

My eyes flashed open. How could I have let myself wander so far into memory-land? But his voice hadn't sounded right. I sighed; my imperfect memory would never do his honey sweet sing-song voice justice. Still, it had sounded so real, so close, like I could reach out and touch… My breath stopped. My heart dropped. My head spun. Standing there, right over me was a beautiful face, one that I'd never thought I'd see again, but one that I didn't ever want to see again. His dark mocha skin contrasted heavily with the pale ghostly world of the supernatural, yet somehow there was still something transparent and ghostly about him. The Cullens had always seemed so much more alive than all the rest of them, but maybe that was because through their caring and their love they had managed to retain their humanity.

I didn't really know Laurent, seeing as I'd only seen him the one time and quite frankly we'd all been more focused on the vicious James. It was understandable really that everyone had ignored Laurent given the fact that he'd shown no interest whatsoever in consuming my blood, but right about now I wished somebody had paid him the time of day because there he was, standing above me smirking. What was going on?

The gears churned in my head cranking out theory after theory; it was nice to know that the gears could still me depended upon to spin these days. If Laurent was out hunting why was he so far from civilization when there was a great big city full of God knows how many homeless street people that would probably go unmissed and in a part of the wilderness that he knew was inhabited by a large coven of vampires who were clearly ready to protect the humans living in the little town of Forks. Of course that coven was no longer around these parts but Laurent wouldn't know that, would he? If he was here for me specifically, to feast on my delectable life blood, then why hadn't he come forward sooner? Surely there had been plenty of opportunities to kill me if he had indeed been stalking his prey. That didn't seem likely but then what did I know. With all my fabulous luck I'm sure I'd be killed by a hunter who liked to play with his food before eating it, to let it bathe in its own misery and fall into the very deepest cavern of despair. Well I was in the Mariana Trench at this point. Why wait, just get the deed over with.

"Bella, Bella, no need to panic. I'm not going to hurt you dear. You remember me of course, Laurent. James was a friend, not that good of a friend though. And you remember Victoria. She's pretty pissed with you sweetheart. Your boyfriend went and killed her great love. Now why would he do a thing like that?"

Was that what this was? Was he going to kill me for revenge, for Victoria? That didn't make any sense though; I mean I'd only been a pawn in the whole thing, a play toy being fought over. Surely if Victoria wanted to hurt somebody it was…

"Anyway, Vic's pretty hell-bent on the whole revenge thing. She could go after your main man but what good would that do? It'd probably get her killed, that's what. Plus, she doesn't just want to physically scar him, but make him suffer in the greatest way possible, in the way she has, through the loss of a love. She wants him to suffer through the loss of you."

"But, but, he, he doesn't eve love me. He never did. It was all just smoke and mirrors, the novelty of it all. Killing me would do nothing to him."

"Now, now my sweet, the vampire heart is a dark and powerful thing. Despite what the human eye may see, Vic want's you dead. She wants you dead and she's going to get you dead and she's going to cause you so much pain that you'll be screaming to the depths of hell before she's through. Now honestly I don't see the point in that. To spill just young and sweet blood in violent waste is, well, wasteful. Surely you don't want to be wasteful. I don't either. So I'm here to help you out my dear, to put a clean end to it here and now. You'll only feel a thing for a moment and then you'll be in a better place. No Victoria. No pain. No mess. How's 'bout it?"

He took one great step closer to me. I was standing by this point, shakily; ready to topple over at any moment. My voice caught in my throat. There it was, I was to become nothing more than a vampire's dinner either way. Even if I somehow managed to evade Laurent and Victoria and live, there was little hope of me lasting long, and what am I living for anyway. Who really knows anymore? Besides, Laurent was moving in, his mouth slightly open, leaning towards my exposed neck. There was no way out. I closed my eyes and waited, waited for the inevitable, the prick, the pain, the searing awful pain, the feeling of one's life being slowly drained from one's body pint by pint, and then the numbness, the drowning, and the darkness, and the light. I closed my eyes and waited for what would be over in seconds.


	4. Chapter 4: Storm

(Hi everybody! Thanks so much for the support. I'm not really sure how I'm going to release these. I could release them once a day in the mornings, and then when I write more than one a day I'll just have some pre-made for those days I can't get around to it. Or I could release them twice a day but that'll mean probably starting next week there'll be days when I won't have any at all ready. Really its up to you guys. Lemme know what you think. :) )

My eyes squeezed shut, the blackness overwhelming me. My head hurt and it spun uncontrollably. What was taking Laurent so long? Was he reveling in my anguish? Or was my mind playing tricks on my sense of time? Suddenly with a jolt in the pit of my stomach I realized: I wanted to live. I really wanted to live. I don't know what for but the desire to live was strong, burning, growing. But there was really no way out of this. Even if I told Laurent it was doubtful that he would listen, not to mention the fact that: while my mind was running at a gazillion miles per hour my words would be snail slow. I squeezed myself tighter and tighter, arms wrapped around my middle pulling it in, keeping it together for the one final blow. Maybe I'd meet him in heaven someday. Of course I probably hadn't done enough good in my life to really deserve heaven but then maybe we would meet up in hell. He sure seemed to think that's where he would end up, and if I was with him I'm sure it would be hell to him, reliving all those weeks he'd forced himself to stay by my side simply because of some sense of duty and loyalty until he had finally just given up and broken away to go live his life in peace without some clumsy, dumb, needy little girl.

There was a gust of wind through my hair; it blew so hard that I stumbled forward a bit. It was definitely no longer just my imagination; Laurent was taking forever and a day to kill me. I cautiously opened my eyes. He had stepped back, still close but not close enough to deal the killing blow. His eyes and face were turned to the sky. What was he looking at? It took my eyes a moment to adjust. What a moment ago had been clear bright skies were now growing dark, the wind rushing through the trees. One lone black raven circled high above us, capturing Laurent's attention. He seemed deep in thought, lost in another world entirely. A low rumble rolled across us, but that wasn't right. There had been no lighting, and wasn't thunder the sound of the air collapsing back in on itself or something? I couldn't remember exactly (science isn't my best subject, I've always been more of a literature kind of girl, Romeo and Juliet, etc. etc.) but this definitely didn't seem right. Laurent turned to look at me, confused, thoughtful; a little awe glinted through them and something else… fear?

In a split second he was gone. Turned back to the forest and running at top speeds which for a fully-fledged vampire was goodness knows how fast. I was drawing an absolute blank. What on earth was going on here? The sky cleared a bit, still a bit darker than before but it seemed the storm had passed. The raven gave one ominous call and flew off. My body relaxed only slightly, still in fight or flight mode but definitely leaning towards flight. Unfortunately for me flight never really worked given my inability to walk and the fact that most of my enemies were so many many times faster than me. But there was no enemy there; Laurent was gone. This was a good thing, a fantastic thing even, wasn't it? Why was I still so nervous?


	5. Chapter 5: Oblivion

I fell back into the plush warm cocoon that was my bed late that night. Sleeping was an unending battle for me lately but I was just so tired at that point that I really couldn't handle dreamland so I told my mind to just shut off already and dropped into oblivion. Sleeping's kind of funny isn't it? I'd never really given the whole thing much thought before, aside from the fact that the seven people I loved most didn't, couldn't, sleep at all. But seriously though, it's like one minute you just pass out and your mind just goes completely blank, not like your staring at darkness but like hours out of your life have been erased and you wake up the next morning with absolutely no memory of the time in between except for a few vague recollections of dreams and nightmares which sometime seem to last for seconds and sometimes seem to last a lifetime and sometimes even bleed out into waking hours and yet everyone just takes it for granted that this is a normal part of our lives.

I guess being exposed to so many fantastical and supernatural creatures makes you look a little closer at everything in your life, makes you think odd thoughts about it all, and makes you realize how ordinary it all is, how drearily and maddeningly ordinary. And yet the supernatural manages to give you some little bit of hope that maybe, just maybe there is still magic out there, that Santa leaves presents under the tree, and fairy dust grants wishes, and as long as you have hope things'll turn out ok. Usually my fantasies just end up crushing my hopes and dreams but I bet other people have better luck.

Strangely I actually thought I was somewhat conscious while sleeping that night. The world didn't just fade away like usual, but danced before my eyes in dark blacks and purples like my eyes had been covered in ink and I was just sitting there passing time, or looking at the backs of my eyelids in a darkened room. Then there was… a light. I'm not sure how it came to be but one moment it was just there, kind of like when you're in a dark room with no light and you close your eyes so tight that you sort of see a faint light behind them. But this, this was so much more beautiful. It was a golden orb dancing on the edge of my eyelids, spinning and dancing with all the glory and wonders of the cosmos. Geez, where did my mind come up with this stuff, but seriously it was the kind of thing that made a poet and a philosopher out of you.

I reached out one tentative finger to touch it, but there was no substance to it, just a ball of gases. But, it felt strange, not warm, but kind of cool, thicker than air like touching mist or smoke. I waved my hand around in it causing wisps of light to flow around and then collapse back into shape. Then I felt another strange glow above me and I looked up to see another of the strange lights. Not knowing how to reach it I just thought I should check that one out too and I was there, as if I had used my own willpower to teleport myself. The second was the same as the first: beautiful, heavenly, mist. Points of light began to appear all around me, slowly at first and then with increasing speed. I was surrounded my glowing balls of light on all sides, some light years away and others right in front of me. They were spinning, dancing, almost singing, like the universe was celebrating some great event. My eyes followed them, mesmerized by their light, entranced in the glow.

One of them began moving towards me. It touched me just below my right elbow cool and soothing. Then another came to rest at my left heel, and another at my stomach. Slowly they moved towards me like iron filaments to a magnet, arranging themselves in patterns and fitting in, merging to form a golden light all around me. My mouth gaped open as a last bit of light came towards my face, the only part of my body not obscured by the glow and as the orb came closer it collapse in on itself become more of a long wispy thing and slowly it poke its way into my open mouth and groped its way down my throat.

Strange, it felt strange, neither good nor bad really. And the mist felt oddly warm now, strange. While I was contemplating the nature of the glow, the strangeness of the beauty I didn't immediately realize that my mouth still hung open in awe and that light was slowly pouring into it. From all around me my light cocoon poured into me. I began to feel warm, very warm, almost like the light was searing me. It no longer felt good around me but restraining, suffocating. I began to struggle, to pull myself out. I tried to close my mouth but something held it in place. I couldn't breathe! The light was choking me! So much of it had gotten into me that I began to be able to see myself again. My skin was slightly glowing, fluorescent. "Not good," I thought, "Not good at all."

I struggled, wriggled, pulled but the light just pulled me under. It was drowning me. My throat seared as light crammed down it. My insides felt like they were about to explode. My vision grew bright, so bright! My whole world was nothing but blinding gold light! I couldn't see. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. The beauty was killing me. The universe was sucking the life right out of me.

(Hey guys! Thanks for reading the latest installment! Lemme know what you think! All the reviews and private messages have been super helpful. I have some ideas of how the story will go but no real endgame planned so any ideas that you have would be very much appreciated. I've got another chapter ready for posting, probably tomorrow just so that I can get one out once a day.)


	6. Chapter 6: Graduation

"Hey Bella, you got number 6?"

I sighed as I pulled out my notebook to show Mike the problem. Math was never my strong suit but I guess I had a reputation of being kind of a nerd, and my grades weren't that bad so I helped out my friends where I could: Mike and Angela and the rest. We'd never really been all that close. Considering they were my only real friends now I should have been closer to them but like everything else in my life I just sort of drifted along in a zombie-like daze, not really paying that much attention. Still, it was nice to know I could help someone out. I found the problem in question and began explaining it to Mike who had a confused expression spread across his face.

"I'll never be ready in time for the finals!"

"Sure you will, Mike"

"They're TOMMOROW, Bella; I might as well throw the towel in right now."

"Come on now, you get how to do number 6 now, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so…"

"There, Calculus passed!" I proclaimed. I was getting pretty good and feigning enthusiasm and projecting optimism.

"Besides, haven't you already been accepted by Washington state?"

"Well, yeah, but if I don't pass my senior final they could kick me out before I've even started! I guess I should really calm down though; I'm being a little paranoid. Here I am bugging you to help me study when you've got finals too, not that you really need to study. Have you decided where you're going in the fall?"

"Not exactly…" I thought of the pile of unopened letters lying on my desk. Angela had helped me apply to a bunch of schools months back but I'd never really given it much though, let alone enthusiasm, and now the thought of actually opening up what could be the next four years of my life. Four years, I shuddered. If he didn't want me now what about when I was 20 or 30, or 40!? Never before had I been preoccupied by age but now that I knew immortality was an option the years seem to gnaw away at me.

"Yeah, I know. It's a REALLY big decision. I was thinking about going to California but Mom really wanted me to Washington State plus it's a lot closer and cheaper…" He blushed slightly in embarrassment. Funny that was always my move. I couldn't remember the last time the blood had rushed to my cheeks.

"No Kidding about the expense. He tries to hide it but sometimes I can tell Charlie's a little worried about it all."

A bell rang signaling the end of lunch. I glanced over at their table. A group of rowdy freshman now inhabited it, laughing and giggling, poor replacements for the old occupants.

.

.

.

Finals came and went. Mike agreed they had been easier than expected but was still nervous. His fears were crushed when later that summer he got his scores, mostly B pluses but a good solid A in math. Graduation was upon us. The whole senior class was nervous and antsy but I think most of us were ready. I still felt like I was living in a bad dream, floating along and screaming at the top of my voice but nobody could hear me. A decision really needed to be made soon, where to go, what to do, what the rest of my life would be. It was strange; I'd been one of those juniors who knew exactly what her life would be, who her family was, what she was going to do, but now I was so completely unsure of everything. My whole future was gone, the one I had wanted, and now I wished I had come up with a plan B. A plan Bella, I joked to myself. Wow, even by jokes in my head were bad.

Real life was coming. There was a time when I was prepped for anything, and now considering what I'd seen real life should have been a breeze, but honestly it just terrified and depressed me. What is wrong with me? I needed to get myself together. I knew I'd never be the same again. My heart was shattered, the pieces strew across the floor. A great gaping hole grew wide in my chest. My mind was a mess, falling apart at the seams. If I would never be able to really put myself back together I at least need to do a few repairs, to stick up the seams and paste together the shattered bits. I'd never be able to get all the parts right; there would always be holes, parts missing, but at least I could have a cracked, holey, hot glued mess of a heart and mind rather than none at all. My instinct was just to lie down and never move again and to give up on life as a whole. I could never do that to Charlie. Plus, I had promised him I wouldn't do anything stupid and even with him gone that promise still meant something to me.

Bottom line: Bella Swan needed an attitude adjustment.

(I hope you guys like the latest chapter! Please review! Sorry I posted it a bit late today, was up super early and very busy all day and forgot to post it until just now. The next installment should be up sometime tomorrow morning, probably around 12 like usual) 


	7. Chapter 7: Letters

The pile of unopened envelopes nearly spilled off my desk, still untouched weeks after graduation. It was probably past all the acceptance deadlines but maybe I would be able to squeeze into a community college somewhere. Just because I was going to get my life together didn't mean it was going to have to turn out fabulously. How could it? I ripped open the first envelope and pulled out a folded piece of paper. It read:

Dear Miss Swan,

We are sorry to inform you that your position here at Dartmouth has been filled due to your lack of response to our earlier letters-

Well, Dartmouth was a no go. I was surprised by the letter none the less since it must mean that somewhere in the mess there was an acceptance letter for me. My procrastination had closed that door for good. Still there was hope that at least one of my options was still open.

A half an hour and 16 letters later it seemed I had two choices: Washington State or MIT. Strange, I didn't remember applying to MIT. But then I had been in such a daze when Angela forced me to fill out all those endless forms and essays that I could have applied to the University of Tokyo for all I knew. Now I had a big decision to make. I could go to Washington, be close to home and Charlie, and see my friends Mike and probably some others (I didn't quite remember where Angela and Jessica were actually going). For a moment I wondered where Jake was going to college, if he was going. Not that it really mattered. There was a time months before when Jacob Black had been the only thing that got me through the day. But I guess he got tired of waiting around for someone as broken as I am, found new friends, and we drifted apart.

The other choice was MIT, which seemed completely out of my league. I mean seriously why on earth would the Massachusetts Institute of Technology be interested in little old me? And it was so far away, away from Charlie and Forks and old memories. Boston would be a fresh start. I could never truly have a clean break as he once suggested but at least I could try for a fresh start. Still, why was I accepted to MIT? I wasn't exactly good with technology and it didn't seem like the kind of place Angela would pick for me, although it was conceivable she had applied for me to just about every college in America in some vein hope one would accept me. She was really too good of a friend to me, more than I ever deserved. They were offering me a full scholarship, which would be nice for Charlie who was clearly in full-panic- oh-my-gosh-my-daughter-is-going-off-to-college-and -I-need-to-pay-for-it mode.

I flopped back on my bed thinking hard about the decision ahead of me. All the signs were pointing in one direction. No place would ever truly be a home to me without them but Boston could be… a refuge. I closed my eyes in silent contemplation, holding the letter out in front of me.

"I guess it's settled then."

Swan, you're going to Boston.


	8. Chapter 8:Introductions

Nodding off while waiting for my flight I remembered the last time I had been on a plane, going to see my mother, Renee, with him. Back then I was so happy, and stupid, and naïve. The promise he had made me then meant nothing, but the small part of my mind conscious enough to remember wished more than anything that it had meant something more to him, and yet I didn't want him to be in pain because he was with me. If leaving me was better for him than so be it, because nothing was more important than him and he was so selfless that this one small act of, of caring for his own feelings was understandable. I was an idiot to ever think he really loved me given what he was and what I am; a god should never have to be on the same level as a human.

My flight was called. It was August. Having packed my bags and put my truck into storage I was leaving for my new life, my mature adult life, my living hell. Boston was a lot warmer than Forks and for that I was grateful when I got off the long flight. At least I would freeze to death until winter came. I sucked up a deep breath and marched into the room marked orientation on campus. Greeting me cheerfully a light brown haired boy asked me for my name while he squinted through his glasses at a long list of names.

"Isabella Swan" I said quietly. Maybe quiet and introverted people were left alone here unlike at Forks High School.

"Sorry," the boy muttered as he looked through the names, "I need new contacts and these glasses make everything blurry. Ah, there we are, Isabella Swan, 19, Forks, Washington. Nice to meet you!" He looked up at me smiling. "I'm Alex, Alex Adder, sophomore, software engineer extroidinair, and guide to you freshmen. Welcome to MIT!"

"Thanks," I replied.

"So, what are you studying here?"

"I, I haven't really decided yet."

"Hey, that's fine. Lots of people come here not knowing what they want to do exactly. That's what college is all about, right? Finding your spot in the world!"

"I guess so; problem is I'm not even that great with technology. I mean my computer is practically the dinosaur!"

"That's ok, Isabel. You know the old saying: They don't make them like they used too? Completely true. We make things better now. But it's still important to remember where your roots come from. You gotta love the classics." I smiled a little. Alex was nice, the kind of person I could be friends with, not that I wanted to drag anyone into the complicated mess that seemed to follow me around, danger magnet that I was. "Come on, I'll show you where your dorm is. You got a pretty decent one, not too far from classes. I mean you're a freshman so no way that you'd get the top spot but nonetheless, it's a good place to be. I'm actually 2 floors above you."

He led me off down the street to a large brick building, not exactly my dream home but good enough. It looked out across the river on the other side of the street, and behind it laid a huge field with soccer and baseball and people running around playing Frisbee. I suppose this place wasn't all that bad. Alex led me up a few floors and to my room just down the hall, cramp but big enough for me and my few belongings plus the roommate I would meet soon.

"It says here your roommate is Sandra Parker. She should be here soon. Listen I gotta go back to the orientation room, lots of people to meet and get settled, but I'll see you around Isabel, ok?" Isabel, I liked it, a fresh start and a new name. I smiled waving goodbye and closed the door to unpack. A little while later the door banged open and someone pulled several large bags in the room. The tall dark haired girl turned around to survey the situation. She had dark eyes, long thin limbs, and was wearing a blood red tight t-shirt and long jean shorts.

"Sandra?" I questioned. She looked at me for a moment, then turned back to her two large bags and pulled them up onto her bed. "Need any help?" I tried again helpfully. She didn't turn around as the last bag plopped heavily down on the other side of the room. "Oh, I'm Be- Isabel Swan, by the way, your roommate."

"Ok, look sunshine. I didn't come all the way to Boston Massachusetts to be pestered by some small town nobody. Forks right? Oh yeah, the orientation girl told me who my roommate was and quite frankly I'm not too impressed. I came here to study at one of the best institutions in the world, so leave the bubbly little ditz in the suitcase and leave me alone. You leave me alone, I'll leave you alone. Deal?" All this came out in a rush as if my very existence infuriated her, like my speaking made her ill. Well fine, at least I wouldn't have to be all up beat and cheery. My new roommate would suite me just fine. The last thing I needed was another clingy friend to break my heart.

I told myself to calm down. Freaking out and murdering my roommate on the first day wouldn't do me any good. I had to learn to live with my new situation, to deal with the facts of live and outgrow the fairytale. With this new determination I felt slightly proud of myself. At least I was making a real effort.


	9. Chapter 9: First Impressions

(Sorry It took me so long to update this. I'm actually working on another story which I want to actually finish completely before publishing, so yeah, this one has kind of been put to the back burner so to speak)

Before I could blink the first day of class was here. I wasn't very excited about the whole thing, classes and school and the works, partially the crushing my-whole-life-has-left-me depression like usual but also a good deal of regular old non-enthusiasm. My schedule was pretty light at least, only a few classes, the first of which I was walking to now, slowly. The last thing I needed was to fall on my face on the first day of college. Walking in to Programming 101 my heart sank, or at least I got the feeling that I used to when I still had a heart and it would sink. Sleek, new, shiny computers lined the lecture hall, one at each seat ready to be used. I groaned; no way I was going to make it through this class with my rep with tech, but seriously it had been dumb of me to think there was a way I could get through Massachusetts Institute of TECHNOLOGY without actually interacting with technology despite the fact that I knew there were some un-tech related option in regards to majors.

Still, getting through a class full of computers certainly wouldn't be the worst thing that ever happened to me. Not. Even. Close. Sitting down in a chair in the back of the class I pulled off a brand new tote bag. In my hurry to get out here and away from Forks I had completely neglected to bring anything actually necessary for school so I had had to go on a last minute shopping trip to the local Office Max and get a few essentials, a bag, some pencils, erasers, paper, the works. I thought of the perfectly organized and sorted rows of CDS and how my organization would severely upset him and smiled a little before the usual pain shot through me. Despite his best effort to remove everything that would remind me of him it had really been a wasted attempt. Everything reminded me of him because he had been my everything.

While I was contemplating everything the class had filled up and the professor stepped out in front of us. He was an older man, although I suppose not so for a professor, more middle aged than anything else, probably the same age as Charlie. A few grey streaks ran through his brown hair and beard. But really what mostly registered to me was the enormous speed at which he was talking and the volume his voice had risen to. He was giving instructions I realized: turn on the computers. I fumbled around for the power button. Go to the, the WHAT drive? My mouse pad seemed to be having a small spaz attack as I desperately tried to follow even the simplest of instructions. Yet somehow even with mustering all the effort I could handle I hadn't even found something that looked like what I was supposedly supposed to be clicking on.

I figured I'd just scroll over the start button and then I could search for whatever it was he wanted us to do, but when I hit the little icon I felt an electric shock jolt my fingertips. I jerked away from the computer which had gone all mega pixelated and was making weird scratching sounds. Looking around helplessly I saw that the entire class had turned to look in my direction and the professor was striding towards me. Great. Just great. He looked down at me disapprovingly.

"What do we have here, eh? Someone who thinks they're going to be funny, eh? Clever, maybe, for the first day of school?"

"Um, I'm, I'm sorry, I, I don't know, I don't know what I did..." I stammered out.

"Well whatever you did, you've completely screwed up this computer. There's no point in you staying today without one so you may as well leave."

I got up slowly and gathered up my things, and walked out of the classroom back into the long hall. Typical. Absolutely typical. Maybe I'd be good at French studies, or literature, or music, or philosophy. No way was I ever going to be let near a computer again so I may as well choose from those.

(Since I'm not really updating this on any kind of schedule thanks to my other projects I'm just going to set a goal of 5 reviews. Whenever I hit 5 more reviews, on any chapter, I will make sure to update the story. But, until then I'm just going to work on my hopefully much better fanfic. Thanks so much for reading!)


	10. Chapter 10: Ivory

Chapter 10:

I wandered around the campus aimlessly, just passing time. It was crowded with people as usual. Students were playing Frisbee in the main field; Students were studying cross-legged on benches; Students were running around late for class; Students were chatting with friends. It seemed like I was the only one without a purpose. Wandering down a small street that broke away from the main campus pack and wound through the backside of several buildings and dorms I heard the most beautiful music. Well, maybe not the MOST beautiful. That title was reserved for you-know-who, but It was heavenly none the less. It flowed over me like a clear mountain stream and I listened for where it was coming from. A small door sat around the corner, slightly down a narrow alley and from it I could definitely make out the sound of a divinely played piano. The door would not budge. I stuggled with it a bit, pulling, pushing, turning the knob in vain, but finally and gave up and fell back against it. The door opened a crack. The music stopped altogether. I pushed my way in the find a smallish room, slightly dingy but still light and airy and in the center of the room on a slight platform sat a beautiful, white, glossy grand piano. Whoever had been playing it was long gone but I approached it none-the-less. Sitting down at the bench I stroked a few keys softly with my outstretched fingers; a few disjointed notes followed. I knew I couldn't play but I longed to here its music once more, at least the lovely sound of a few notes floating in air, so I tapped a few more keys. More disjointed loud notes. I tried to think of a melody, something I could at least try and play so that it might not sound like I was just smashing keys, which at that point I was. A piece of music popped in my head and my hands flew to the keys. I had no idea which keys brought which notes or even which notes brought which sound in the song but I figured what'd be the harm in just pressing those on which my fingers now rested to that I might at least have some idea of which keys made which sounds. It was perfect, spot on, definitely the first part of melody. How? I didn't really care, all I wanted was to hear the music, so I played on. The music changed. The notes were definitely wrong. I was no longer playing something real, but a piece entirely my own, my own music, my life's music. The notes flowed through ever cell of my body, my fingers moving faster and faster over the keys like a madwoman. I felt the music encasing me, encircling my body, becoming my living breathing soul. It was as though the notes had a mind of their own, that somehow they were controlling me as my fingers flew over the ivory keys. Suddenly there was a slight chill from behind. My fingers stumbled and stopped and slowly I turned my head.

A man stood behind me at a now open door, wearing a tweed jacket and a bow tie and a thick pair of glasses. His black hair was greying and his grey eyes stared intently at me.

"Miss Swan. Could you please come with me." I looked at him in confusion. "It would seem that you are quite special, quite unique. Please, this way."

(Sorry for the short chapter this time. I'm working on another story at the same time, getting a bunch of chapters written before I release it)


	11. Chapter 11: Journey

Chapter 11

I gaped for a moment at the man who had called out to me before collecting myself and closing my mouth.

"I… I… I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have come in here, please, I didn't mean any har…" I stuttered out, panicking over what he possibly could want, but getting interrupted before I could finish.

"Calm down, Miss Swan. You are not in trouble, not yet anyway, in fact, for the time being, I would say the situation is the exact opposite, although you can be the judge of that in time."

I nodded slowly, rising from my perch atop the ebony stool and stepping down to stand in front of him. He smirked for a moment, just a moment, but then his face smoothed back over into a calm mask so fast that I almost missed the blatant display of emotion.

He turned on his heel and strode back out the open door, leading into a narrow hallway with a warped wooden floor, short celling which even I could reach up a touch, and faded wall paper. Growing even more confused I began concocting scenarios in my mind: perhaps this was some historical relic and its by the book curator was about to lambast me for trespassing, or maybe it was one of those mysterious organizations of which I had heard so much and yet so little about and now I was in real trouble, or it could be that I had stumbled across the den of our eminent president and some assistant or fellow faculty member was leading me to my doom.

Then my mind turned inevitably to the more supernatural possibilities, of the things that go bump in the night, of my danger magnet reactivating and pulling all the inhumane bits of the universe slowly towards me, and remaining a constant reminder of all I had lost.

After what seemed like a considerable amount of time, but was likely only a minute or so, we arrived at a wooden door at the other end of the hall, which he then proceeded to open and gesture for me to enter.

Peering into the dark opening I saw a flight of concrete stairs descending downwards into inky depths. He reached in and flicked a switch causing lights to flicker on illuminating the bare concrete innards, which resembled the stairway of a parking garage or basement of a skyscraper.

Cautiously I stepped inside, followed by my captor who closed the door behind us with an echoing thud and stepped around me to lead me down the stairs.

After a considerable amount to time, and ten or so flights of stairs we reached a landing with a solid looking metal door proclaiming that this was floor one in large worn stenciled font. More stairs led downwards but the man opened this door onto another hallway, this one as bare and boring as the stairs down.

As I trudged onwards I noticed a bulky figure in the distance, and as we got closer he materialized into yet other mysterious stranger, large, muscled, black, short hair, dark glasses despite being inside and underground, a black suit with a thin black tie which seemed out of place around his muscular neck.

He stomped over to us, right next to a two metal doors, one on either side of the hall.

"So this is her, eh. You better get in there. Boss wants to speak to you," he grunted out.

The man I'd previously been escorted by nodded curtly and turned to open one of the doors. I tried to peer into it but he closed it with a clang before I could glimpse much of anything.

My new companion looked down at me scathingly, grabbed me by the elbow and rather roughly dragged me through the other door, leading into another bare room, approximately cube shaped with a slightly lower ceiling, a large dark window like the kind you see in cop shows in interrogation rooms taking up the far wall, one solid metal table bolted to the floor and two chairs, one a bit more beat up and rusty than the other.

He let go of me and gestured for me to sit down in the less appealing of the two chairs, but I did so without complaint. He slumped down in the other, across the table from me and rested his great meaty hands on the table leaning forwards menacingly.

"So, you're Isabella Swan, the great and exultant Bell, P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C." He bared his teeth at me in what I supposed was meant to be a grin.

All I could do was stare back at him in terror.

"Let's get this shindig started, shall we."

AN: Hey guys, so I'm sorry about the big break between chapters 9 and 10. I guess you could say I just started this on a whim one day and got kind of boerd with it after a while, not really knowing where I was going with it. But then I was looking at it yesterday and got a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do from this point on (though it's still all subject to change) and decided to start updating it again. Then I looked at my document manager and realized I had never released chapter 10 even though I had it written about the same time as chapter 9! Ooops… sorry… Anyway, so I went ahead and got that out ASAP and started clacking away on my laptop getting this update all ready. Considering how short I've made the average chapter here I hope to update semi-regularly, ever few days or so, maybe get a few chapters churned out over weekends and release them during the week. Anyway, let me know what you think so far and what you want to see!


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